Doll house



Feb. 26, 1963 G. w. SMITH 3,073,615

' DOLL HOUSE Filed April 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /7 43 6'0 W6; a2 444J .58 f .59 M Z9 34 34 46 w I l 30 I 7 6/2 W 507/2 6 84 9 INVENTOR: I 8/ 88 WHANN a McMA/V/GAL l 77 Af/arneys for Anal/cam G. W. SMITH Feb. 26, 1963 DOLL HOUSE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1960 I NV EN TOR. WHANN 8 Mc MAN/GAL United States Patent Ofilice 3,078,615 Patented Feb. 26, 1963 3,078,:115 BULL HQUSE Glen W. Smith, 14609 Lanning Drive, Whittier, Calif. Fiied Apr. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 24,345 11 Claims. (Cl. 46-12) This invention relates generally to toys, and relates more particularly to doll house structures.

While the invention has particular utility in connection with toy building structures, such as doll houses, and is shown and described in such connection, it is to be understood that its utility is not confined thereto.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a doll house structure including a plurality of partitions for defining rooms in which doll furniture and dolls of suitable size may be arranged.

It is another object of the invention to provide a doll house structure of this character so that children playing with same may have easy access to the rooms for arranging the furniture and, if desired, dolls or figures.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a structure of this character wherein there are base members and partitions with the various parts connected together in such a manner that the parts are not separable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character which may be folded into a compact unit or package for storage or transportation.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a structure of this character which may be easily and quickly unfolded and set up for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide structure of this character having novel hinges for the partitions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide structure of this character that may be easily and quickly unfolded and set up and easily and quickly collapsed and folded.

A further object of the invention is to provide structure of this character that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufficiently referred to in connection with the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, which represent certain embodiments. After considering these examples, skilled persons will understand that variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed, and I contemplate the employ ment of any structures, arrangements, or modes of operation that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the doll house structure in its collapsed and compact position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the collapsed doll house shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational View of the collapsed doll house shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4- is a plan view of the assembled doll house;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the doll house as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated on the line 6--6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated on the line 77 of FIG. 5 showing an enlarged view of one of the corner structures;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing another form of the invention for forming corner structures;

'FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the partitions forming the corner in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention for forming a corner of one group of partitions; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the corner forming hinges shown in FIG. 10.

Referring again to the drawings, doll house 10, is shown in FIGS. 1-3 in its folded or collapsed position and in its erect or assembled position in FIGS. 4 and 5. The doll house 10 is formed from rectangular floor forming base members designated generally as 11, 12 and 13, the latter being the central member under which the two outer members 11 and 12 are foldable. Hingedly engaged with the central base member 13 are two groups 16 and 17 of rectangular wall forming partition members, shown in their nested and folded positions in FIGS. 1-3 and shown vertically erect on the base members in FIGS. 4 and 5. Each of the members may be made of flat sheets of suitable material, such as wood, cardboard, plastic or metal.

The base members 12 and 13 are hinged together by means of an upper tape 18 and a lower tape 19, both extending for the full length of the two members. This tape arrangement is shown in the left side of FIG. 3, on the right side of FIG. 5, viewing the doll house from the opposite end shown in FIG. 3, and in enlarged view in FIG. 6. The tape 18 extends along the upper surfaces of base members 12 and 13 then downwardly between their two abutting edges and further extends under the edge of member 13 where it is adhesively secured for its full length at transverse area 22 to the lower tape 19. Transversely outwardly of the area 22 the tape 19 is engaged with portions of the bottom surface of members 12 and 13. The tape contacting area 22 provides a spacing means so that when the outer base member 12 is folded downwardly its edge no longer abuts the edge of member 13. It is then spaced from the latter and may be folded either over or under the other outer member 11.

As may be seen in FIG. 3, the outer member 12 is folded immediately under the central member 13 and in turn the other outer member 11 is folded to be under the members 12 and 13 to form the base of the doll house in its folded position. Base member 11 may also be folded to be over member 12 and immediately under member 13 and this is made possible by a similar tape arrangement, as described with relation to base members 12 and 13. Here, the upper tape 23 is adhesively secured to the upper surfaces of members 11 and 13 adjacent their abutting edges, as shown in FIG. 5 and extends downwardly between and on the abutting edges to a tape contacting area 25 where it is adhesively bonded to lower tape 24. Lower tape is adhesively secured to the bottom of base member 11 adjacent its edge covered with tape 23 inwardly of the tape spacing area 25, as shown in FIG. 5 and to the bottom of member 13 inwardly from its edge covered with tape 23. The advantage of this spacing arrangement provided by the tape spacing areas 22 and 25 may be best understood in viewing the righthand end of FIG. 3 Where the tape spacing area 25 formed by the two tapes 23 and 24 in contact with each other extends vertically between the central member 13 and the bottom member 11 outwardly of the member 12. Here, area 25 provides the space means for folding and, similarly, the space area 22 provides the comparable means if the member 11 is folded to be directly under the member 13. Thus, since either of the outer members 11 or 12 may be folded first to be immediately under the central member 13, a child playing with the doll house need not be concerned with breaking one of the outer base members loose from the central member by not folding the proper one first so as to be in contact with the central member.

In the form of the invention shown, partition groups 16 and 17 each have four wall forming members. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the Walls 28, 29, 3t and 31 of group 16 are in their folded approximately parallel positions. The lower wall 31 is hinged to central base member 13 along its edge, also hinged to member 11, adjacent the end generally designated as 32 in FIGS. 2 and 3 by outer tape 34 which extends from a lower side surface of partition 31 downwardly onto its bottom edge and the side edge of base member 13, and by means of a second inner tape 35 shown in FIGS. 2-5 which extends from the opposite lower surface of partition 31 inwardly of tape 34 to the upper surface of base member 13. The tapes 34 and 35 securely hold the group 16 to base 13 when the former is pivoted on the horizontal axis, formed between the latter tapes, from its folded position to its vertical upright position.

The four partitions in group 16 are secured together in their offset parallel relationship, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, adjacent their inner corresponding ends by means of an outer tape 36 extending over each of the bottom surfaces adjacent the partition ends and on the ends and around the top of partition 28 and the bottom of partition 31 and to provide a hinge means by which the partitions can be pivoted about a vertical axis when they are moved into their vertical positions. Partitions 28-31 are further supported in their pivotal relationship by means inside tapes 37, 38 and 39 adjacent their inner ends and between partitions 28 and 29, 29 and 30, and 30 and 31, respectively.

In FIG. 2, the offset members of group 16 form an inverted step relationship and each member is in contact with another member. By means of the hinges provided by the tapes 36-39, when the group is moved to its vertical position on its horizontal axis between the tapes 34 and 35, the partitions may be pivoted clockwise away from each other on their hinges so that each end of one partition abuts an adjacent side of another partition to form four walls, as shown in the left half of FIGS. 4 and at right angles to each other about the vertical axis formed in the center of the corners, best seen in FIG. 7. Partition 28 is shorter than the others so as to form a wall extending only half way transversely across the base member 13. When only two base members, such as 11 and 13, are used intead of three, partition 28 may be the same length as the others to form a fourwall and four-room doll house.

The second group 17 is formed of four partitions 43, 44, 45 and 46, corresponding to those in group 16. As may be best seen in FIG. 2, the inner ends of the partitions of group 17 are offset outwardly upwardly in a stepped relationship so as to be nested with the respective members of partition group 16. The lower wall 46 in FIGS. 2 and 3 is hinged by means to tapes 49 and 50, in same manner as group 16 is hinged by tapes 34 and 35 to base member 13 adjacent the edge thereof opposite to the edge on which the lower wall of group 16 is secured and is spaced diagonally from it across the member 13 adjacent the end generally designated as 48. The specific tape arrangement is better understood from viewing FIGS. 4 and 6.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, adjacent the inner transverse hinged ends of group 16, the corresponding ends of group 17 are hinged together by an external tape 51 extending from the top surface of partition 43 over each of the top surfaces adjacent the partition ends and on the ends and down under the bottom surface of partition 46. inwardly of the tape 51 are reinforcing tapes 55, 56 and 57 between the partitions 43 and 44, 44 and 45, and 45 and 46, respectively, best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, to further secure the members in their vertical pivotal relationship. Thus, on the horizontal hinge axis formed by the tapes 49 and 51 as best seen in FIG. 6, the partitions of group 17 may be moved to their vertical position and then pivoted on their vertical hinges formed by the outer tape 51 and the inside tapes 55, 56 and 57 so as to rotate about a vertical axis formed adjacent each of their inner hinged ends and so as to be rotated to have each end abutting an adjacent side formed by another of the partitions and to form four walls at right angles about the vertical axis, as shown in the right side of FIG. 4. Here again, the wall 43 extends only approximately half way across the base member 13 when the two groups 16 and 17 are moved into their vertical positions and rotated so that short partitions 28 and 43 abut each other, the doll house is formed having six open ended and open topped, easily accessible rooms. To secure the walls 28 and 43 in their abutting position, a U-shaped pivotable clip 60 is provided on wall 28 and is lowered onto wall 46 to lock it in place. Locking means for the lower unsecured ends of partitions 28, 29, 30, 43, 44 and 45 are provided by discreetly spaced cars 61, best seen in FIG. 1 extending upward from the base member 13, and similarly from the base members 11 and 12, to which they are secured to receive slotted members 62 extending downwardly from the latter partitions when they are in the right-angle, wall forming relationship. Thus, when the partitions are in their vertical positions and locked in place, a rigid doll house structure is formed with the base members. If desirable, additional clip slot locking means may be provided in the center of base member 13 to lock each of the walls 28 and 43 in their respective places. The walls and individual floors formed from the base members between each of the partitions may be decorated as typical rooms of a six or four-room house, according to the structure, and furniture is easily arrangeable in the rooms because they are open at the tops and at the outer sides and ends.

In disassembling the doll house, which is an important part of the childs play, clip 60 is first lifted off of the wall 43 and moved downwardly onto the vertical edge of the wall 28. Each of the groups may be then rotated counterclockwise about their vertical axis formed by their vertical hinge means to be moved into their parallel vertical positions. Then group 16 is allowed to drop onto the top of central base member 13 and into its horizontal parallel position and group 17 is allowed to fall in place so that the two groups are nested together, as shown in FIG. 2, in a compact relationship. As previously stated. both of the base members 11 or 12 are folded downwardly and either one can be folded before the other into their compact positions under base member 13, as shown in FIG. 3.

It is clear that other types of hinge means between the base members could be used. For example, loops could be formed between each of the abutting base members and a relatively stilt wire could be inserted through the loops and used as the hinge pin. Similarly, such loops and wire hinge pins could be used to hingedly secure the one hinge of each group along its horizontal axis to the central member and the same type of arrangement could be used to secure and provide a single vertical pivot means at the adjacent ends of the partition members. In FIGS. 8 and 9 the partitions are of sheet metal or the like and embody another form of vertical hinge means. Here, the four partition members 66, 67, 68 and 69 are shown fragmentarily, the partition 66 being the one secured along its lower horizontal axis to the central base member; and therefore, not vertically pivotable. Partition member 66 is constructed to have two vertical hinge loops horizontally inwardly of each of its ends spaced vertically to be at its top and bottom. Loops 70 are identical with the loops 70a and 76b on partitions 67 and 68. On each of the partitions 66, 67, 68 and 69 are abutting cars 71, 71a, 71b and 71c extending at right angles to the plane of partitions horizontally outwardly of vertical loops and vertically between them. The partitions 67, 68 and 69 have loops 72, shown only on partition 67, extending vertically inwardly of the loops 70a, for example, and ex tending horizontally outwardly so as to be vertically spaced above and below portion of the ears. Loops 72 on partition 67 receive the hinge pin 73 extending through the hinge loops 70 of the partition 66 to join the partitions hmgedly together. Similarly, the hinge loops on partitron 68, equivalent to loop 72 on partition 67, are in vertical alignment with the hinge loop 70a to receive the hinge pin 73a, the identical arrangement existing between the equivalent loops of partitions 68 and 69 where the hinge pin is shown to be 7312. As shown in FIG. 8 where the partitions are in their room forming positions, the right angle ears are in abutment with an adjacent partition, as ears '71 of partition 66 abut the surface of partition 69 adjacent its hinged end. In the same manner, the other ears are positioned on the wall forming members so that each of the latter may be pivoted and automatically stopped at its proper place in the assembling of the doll house.

In FIGS. 10 and 11 another form of vertical hinge means is illustrated for the partition members 76, 77, 78 and 79, which are shown fragmentarily in their wall form ing position and being hinged together respectively by vertical hinges 81, 82, 83, and 84. Each of the hinges are channel-shaped, so as to slide over the end of the partition to be hinged and secured to each partition by means of a pin extending through the openings 86. Hinge member 82, shown in perspective in FIG. 11 is identical to hinge 83, each having three lugs extending therefrom to receive hinge pins. One of the lugs 88 extends horizontally outwardly and centrally on the hinge member in alignment with the plane of its rear edge $0 and the other two vertical aligned lugs 91, one at the top and one at the bottom, unshown, extend outwardly from the opposite face inwardly of the plane of the edge 90. Hinge member 81 on partition 76, which is secured along its lower end by unshown horizontal hinge means to the base, has only lugs $1, and the fourth hinge member 84 on the fourth partition has only one lug, 88. In viewing FIG. 10, it is apparent that the same relationship exists between the assembled partitions as in FIG. 7; that is, each partition has its hinged end formed by the hinge member in abutment with a side of one of the other partitions against its hinged end. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 10, the wall forming position of the partition is determined by the location of the hinge lugs. For example, lugs 91 on the hinge 81 are positioned to cooperate with lug 38 on one surface on hinge 82 so that its end can abut the side of hinge 81 adjacent its outer edge and so that the plane of the outer edge of hinge 81 is in vertical alignment with the plane of the opposite surface of the hinge 82. In this form of the invention, the three hinges are pivoted in the clockwise direction to fold them together vertically, and in the counterclockwise di ection to assemble them in their wall forming positions.

It is clear that the various forms of the invention shown may be varied without departing from the inventive principles disclosed herein.

I claim: 1. In a doll house: at least three floor forming base members, one of said base members being joined by hinge means along one edge thereof to one edge of a centrally positioned base member, the third of said base members being joined by hinge means along an edge thereof to the opposite edge of the central base member, a first group of wall forming partition members being joined by hinge means at adjacent edges of each, said first group of partition members being foldable on their hinge means at said adjacent edges to be in face to face contact with at least another partition member of said first group, said last members being rotatable about a common axis adjacent to said hinge means, one of said first group of partition me rp bers being joined by hinge means along an edge thereof at right angles to said last mentioned edges to said one edge of said central base member adjacent one end thereof so as to be foldable to be juxtaposed to said central base member, said first group of partition members being erectable when pivoted on said hinge means adjacent said one end thereof on said one edge of said central base member so as to be vertical to said base members and being rotatable on said last common axis to form four wall members each of which is at to an adjacent wall member, and a second group of wall forming partition members joined by hinge means at adjacent end edges of each, said second group of partition members being foldable on their hinge means at said adjacent edges to be in face to face contact with at least another of said second group of partition members, said last members being rotatable about a common axis adjacent to said last hinge means, one of said second group of partition members being joined by hinge means along an edge thereof at right angles to said last mentioned edges to said opposite edge of said central base member adjacent the opposite end thereof so as to be foldable to be juxtaposed to said central base member, said second group of partition members being erectable when pivoted on said hinge means adjacent said opposite end thereof on said opposite edge of said central base member so as to be vertical to said base members and being rotatable about said last common axis to form four wall members each of which is at 90 to an adjacent wall member, one of said walls of each group extending across said central base member to join each other to divide said central base member into at least two parts.

2. The invention according to claim 1, including means for securing the said partition members in said wall forming positions.

3. The invention according to claim 1, in which said one base member and said third base member are foldable under said central base member, one before the other, interchangeably.

4. The invention according to claim 1, in which said partition members other than said members hinged to said central base are securable by clip means to said base members.

5. The invention according to claim 1, in which said hinge means secured to each of said members is joined by pin means.

6. The invention according to claim 1, in which said hinge means joining said adjacent edges of said partition members in each group are comprised of one continuous piece of tape bonded to said edges.

7. The invention according to claim 1, in which each of said partition members of each group when in their wall forming position vertical to said base means, have each of said adjacent edges in abutment with the side face of another of said partition members adjacent its adjacent edge.

8. The invention according to claim 1, in which said hinge means adjoining said base members are comprised of elongated strips of tape above and below said base members, said strip of tape above said base members extending downwardly along the edges of base members being joined by it and extending under a portion of the bottom side of one of said base members being joined, a portion of said tape under said portion of said bottom side being secured to a portion of said lower piece of tape so as to space said base members from each other when their adjoined edges are not in abutment.

9. The invention according to claim 1, in which said hinge means joining said partition members adjacent said adjacent edges are comprised of hinge pin receiving vertically spaced outer loops, spaced inwardly from said adjacent edges and being formed at opposite ends of said members parallel to said adjacent edges, vertically spaced inner loops formed along said adjacent edges on said partitions other than those partitions hinged to said central base member, each pair of inner loops alignable with a selective pair of said outer loops to receive a hinge pin to join said partition members together adjacent said edges, each of said adjacent edges having ears extending 7 therefrom at right angles to said members, and each of said ears being in abutment with one side face of said partition members when they are in said wall forming positions to position said partition members in said wall forming positions.

10. The invention according to claim 1, in which each of said partition members in each group are horizontally ofiset from the others in said group and each of said partition members in said other group are complementarily ofiset so that when said partition members are folded in juxtaposition on said central base member they will be nested together in horizontal alignment, each partition member in one of the groups, and which is posi tioned above its partition member hinged to the central base member, overlapping a partition member below it in the other group when said groups are nested.

11. The invention according to claim 1, in which said hinge means adjoining said partition members are formed from a U-shaped member fitting over said adjacent edges of said partition members, said U-shaped members having complementary lugs adjacent said adjacent edges to receive hinge pins to join said partition memberstogether, said lugs being positioned so that the faces of said partition members inwardly from said adjacent edges will overlap an adjacent edge of another partition member when said partition members are in said wall forming positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 513,688 Smith Jan. 30, 1894' 2,262,700 Reed Nov. 11, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 69,053 Sweden Mar. 23, 1927 

1. IN A DOLL HOUSE: AT LEAST THREE FLOOR FORMING BASE MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID BASE MEMBERS BEING JOINED BY HINGE MEANS ALONG ONE EDGE THEREOF TO ONE EDGE OF A CENTRALLY POSITIONED BASE MEMBER, THE THIRD OF SAID BASE MEMBERS BEING JOINED BY HINGE MEANS ALONG AN EDGE THEREOF TO THE OPPOSITE EDGE OF THE CENTRAL BASE MEMBER, A FIRST GROUP OF WALL FORMING PARTITION MEMBERS BEING JOINED BY HINGE MEANS AT ADJACENT EDGES OF EACH, SAID FIRST GROUP OF PARTITION MEMBERS BEING FOLDABLE ON THEIR HINGE MEANS AT SAID ADJACENT EDGES TO BE IN FACE TO FACE CONTACT WITH AT LEAST ANOTHER PARTITION MEMBER OF SAID FIRST GROUP, SAID LAST MEMBERS BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT A COMMON AXIS ADJACENT TO SAID HINGE MEANS, ONE OF SAID FIRST GROUP OF PARTITION MEMBERS BEING JOINED BY HINGE MEANS ALONG AN EDGE THEREOF AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID LAST MENTIONED EDGES TO SAID ONE EDGE OF SAID CENTRAL BASE MEMBER ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF SO AS TO BE FOLDABLE TO BE JUXTAPOSED TO SAID CENTRAL BASE MEMBER, SAID FIRST GROUP OF PARTITION MEMBERS BEING ERECTABLE WHEN PIVOTED ON SAID HINGE MEANS ADJACENT SAID ONE END THEREOF ON SAID ONE EDGE OF SAID CENTRAL BASE MEMBER SO AS TO BE VERTICAL TO SAID BASE MEMBERS AND BEING ROTATABLE ON SAID LAST COMMON AXIS TO FORM FOUR WALL MEMBERS EACH OF WHICH IS AT 90* TO AN ADJACENT WALL MEMBER, AND A SECOND GROUP OF WALL FORMING PARTITION MEMBERS JOINED BY HINGE MEANS AT ADJACENT END EDGES OF EACH, SAID SECOND GROUP OF PARTITION MEMBERS BEING FOLDABLE ON THEIR HINGE MEANS AT SAID ADJACENT EDGES TO BE IN FACE TO FACE CONTACT WITH AT LEAST ANOTHER OF SAID SECOND GROUP OF PARTITION MEMBERS, SAID LAST MEMBERS BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT A COMMON AXIS ADJACENT TO SAID LAST HINGE MEASN, ONE OF SAID SECOND GROUP OF PARTITION MEMBERS BEING JOINED BY HINGE MEANS ALONG AN EDGE THEREOF A RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID LAST MENTIONED EDGES TO SAID OPPOSITE EDGE OF SAID CENTRAL BASE MEMBER ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF SO AS TO BE FOLDABLE TO BE JUXTAPOSED TO SAID CENTRAL BASE MEMBER, SAID SECOND GROUP OF PARTITION MEMBERS BEING ERECTABLE WHEN PIVOTED ON SAID HINGE MEANS ADJACENT SAID OPPOSITE END THEREOF ON SAID OPPOSITE EDGE OF SAID CENTRAL BASE MEMBER SO AS TO BE VERTICAL TO SAID BASE MEMBERS AND BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT SAID LAST COMMON AXIS TO FORM FOUR WALL MEMBERS EACH OF WHICH IS AT 90* TO AN ADJACENT WALL MEMBER, ONE OF SAID WALLS OF EACH GROUP EXTENDING ACROSS SAID CENTRAL BASE MEMBER TO JOIN EACH OTHER TO DIVIDE SAID CENTRAL BASE MEMBER INTO AT LEAST TWO PARTS. 